The Korea Chemical Research Institute’s CEVI (New Species Virus) Convergence Research Group announced on Monday that SARS and MERS neutralization antibodies, previously known, can be combined into COVID-19 Spike Protein.
Spike protein is a protein that coronavirus uses to break into cells. When an antigen is injected through a vaccine, the body forms antibodies according to the immune response, of which antibodies that can neutralize the pathogen are called neutral antibodies.
The research team confirmed similarities with SARS virus through genetic analysis of COVID-19 and predicted through bio-information analysis whether existing SARS and MERS neutral antibodies can be combined into COVID-19.
It analyzed the structural information files of the COVID-19 spike protein released on the academic paper’s pre-release website “BioRxiv” and predicted that two SARS neutral antibodies and one MERS neutral antibody could be combined into the COVID-19 spike protein.
It is expected to contribute to the development of therapeutic antibodies and vaccines for COVID-19.
This is the first time that has compared the sensitivity of major primer and probe sets for detecting COVID-19 overseas, said Lee Mi-hye, head of the chemical association, adding that it will contribute to the development of real-time gene amplification-based molecular diagnosis kits that enhance sensitivity.
The CEVI Convergence Research Group is joined by eight government-funded research institutes focusing on chemical smoke, and is conducting research on new virus diagnosis, vaccine development, treatment and anti-proliferation technologies.